Bae Ji-hwan’s multi-hit game shut down Cy Young pitcher… Oviedo throws a complete game shutout in 5-0 win over Kansas City
Bae Ji-hwan (24, Pittsburgh Pirates) has found his bat again against reigning Cy Young Award winner Zack Greinke (40, Kansas City Royals).
Bae went 1-for-5 with a double and a run scored in the leadoff spot in the lineup against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri, U.S., on Monday (April 29).
His season batting average increased from .237 to .240 (246-for-59).
Pittsburgh’s batting order is Bae Ji-Hwan (center field)-Kevin Hayes (third base)-Andrew McCutchen (designated hitter)-Joshua Palacios (left field)-Andy Rodriguez (catcher)-Jack Swinski (right field)-Rober Peguero (second base)-Alphonso Rivas (first base)-Alicia Williams (shortstop). The starting pitcher is Johan Oviedo.
Kansas City countered with M.J. Melendez (left field), Bobby Witt Jr. (shortstop), Freddy Perez (catcher), Michael Massey (second base), Nelson Velasquez (right field), Drew Waters (designated hitter), Matt Beatty (first base), Matt Duffy (third base), and Kyle Isbell (center field). Greinke was the starting pitcher.
The focus was on the matchup between Bae and Greinke. Greinke is a big-time pitcher with 224 career wins. He won the American League (AL) Cy Young Award in 2009 and was once part of the most dominant 1-2-3 starting rotation for the Los Angeles Dodgers alongside Hyun-jin Ryu (Toronto Blue Jays) and Clayton Kershaw.
He is a likely Hall of Famer upon retirement, but has struggled this season with a 1-12 record and a 5.28 ERA. It’s a matchup that looks like it could be a winner for the rookie.
His 14th multi-hit game, and it was against the big man… Oviedo complete game
Bae led off the first inning with a single, then took a 71.7-mile-per-hour (115.4-kilometer-per-hour) curveball from Greinke and lined it to the side of the infield. Shortstop Witt Jr. leaped to his feet but couldn’t make the catch, and Bae was already at first base by then.
After scoring a run in the second inning, Bae led off the third inning again, driving an 89.2-mph (143.6-kilometer) four-seam fastball down the left-field line. Bae sprinted after the hit and reached second base with plenty of time to spare.
It was his 14th multi-hit game of the season. His first in nine games and 14th of the season since April 19 against the Minnesota Twins. It was also his first multi-hit game in four games since May 25 against the Chicago Cubs. Bae scored on a double by Hayes in the next at-bat.
Bae scored on Hay’s double to center field. His 42nd run of the season.
He didn’t get another hit after that. He grounded out to second base in the fifth and flied out to center field in the seventh against reliever Taylor Hearn. In the ninth, he retired Carlos Hernandez on a fielder’s choice to end the game.
Unlike Greinke’s early exit after allowing two runs on six hits and two walks with two strikeouts in 4⅔ innings, Oviedo shut down the Kansas City offense. He threw 112 pitches over nine innings and allowed just two hits. He walked two and struck out five for his first career complete game. It was his eighth win of the season. Lowered his ERA from 4.46 to 4.20.메이저놀이터
With the win, Pittsburgh snapped a two-game losing streak and remained in fourth place in the National League Central with a 59-73 record. Kansas City, which lost its fourth straight, fell to 41 wins and 92 losses, good for last place in the AL Central.